Bundesliga: Schalke crashes with bad mood football

Last year, the schematic style of Domenico Tedesco was rewarded with the runner-up. This season, the league convinced with joy – and Schalke has so far no answer.

Comment by Sebastian Fischer

Friends of FC Schalke 04 often found special comfort in the many difficult times of their fan life: Other fans, if they were not from Dortmund, suffered with them. When the Schalke missed the title in the last second in 2001, they were the master of the heart. When they almost came close to relegation in 2011, they were still the club that gave Germany, for example, the wonderful Spaniard Raúl (legendary and widely recognized consolation song: "Shit, we ha'm Raúl!"). The 2018/19 season, which can be predicted as an intermediate level after the first third of the season and ranked 14, could add to the difficult times by one year. But friends of Schalke 04 now have to be particularly strong. The football fans in the country will probably not feel sorry for them.

The past, 55th season of the Bundesliga has gone down in history as a season of bad mood. That was not only because the FC Bayern was already known as a champion in the winter; it was the prevailing style of play: the so-called shift football, system-obsessed and freedom-consuming, safety-conscious, oriented on the result, not the joy of the game. Anyone looking for an example of this style would sooner or later reach the football of Schalke coach Domenico Tedesco, who in the end was rewarded with second place.

The 56th Bundesliga season is so far one of the good mood, and that is not only the league leaders Dortmund. It is still often lurking for moments to attack the opponent with counterattacks. But as if players and strategists had taken the criticism to heart, is played again bravely forward. Almost 50 goals more than at the same time in 2017 (312: 264). Gladbach's success is that of a furious offensive. Frankfurt's storm trio will soon be world famous. Even Augsburg or Mainz are offensive protagonists in Finnbogason or Mateta.

The Schalke, on the other hand, who are now threatened with missing strikers Uth and Embolo for a long time, scored as few goals as otherwise only bottom club Stuttgart. And if it counts to the tactics, such as on Sunday in Frankfurt to renounce building structure in favor of security – Tedesco called to "clarify the second balls with a contact" – then the harmlessness can hardly be explained only by misfortune. The strength of others is just the weakness of Schalke.

Tedesco knows about the problems, he continues to be one of the most talented solution finders in the country – and he is trusted in Schalke. This must be enough as comfort for the fans for the time being. At the moment Schalke football does not reach the hearts.